Not How I Planned It
by soflylikea36
Summary: Sam meets Rory. This is usually the part where the two boys fall in love, but this time, it doesn't quite happen like that. Sam is totally smitten, but Rory is oblivious...too bad, really. Those feelings might just be mutual. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

Sam walked into the Cafeteria and saw Rory sitting by Sugar, Joe, and two other kids he doesn't know. One was a boy, tall, skinny, with nerd glasses and sandy blond hair. The other a petite girl with dark brown hair and a knitted hat. They must all be Sophomores, Sam reasoned, and a sudden, unexpected wave of jealousy washes over him.

Whoa, wait. What am I jealous of? That Rory has friends that aren't me and Finn? Would it be wrong to go sit by them? They seem to be having a good time.

After what seemed like hours, he finally settled on sitting by Artie at a table where he wouldn't be in Rory's direct line of vision. Yeah, that wouldn't be too awkward. He also couldn't help but overhear the conversation that was going on at the Sophomore table.

"Cameron, Lindsay," that Irish accent was unmistakable, "are you sure you two aren't going to get in trouble for being here?"

_So they didn't go to McKinley..._

"Nope," the brunette girl answered, who Sam could now assume was Lindsay, "we don't have school today, something about a Jewish holiday or teacher workshop day...we didn't really pay attention. The only thing we're worried about is getting in trouble with your school." She grinned and high-fived the blond boy, who was presumably Cameron.

"Yeah, Defiance wouldn't care if we snuck out and there was school, so long as we made it back in time for Glee Club. Rory, you have no idea how little they care as long as Lindsay is there to sing after school."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and playfully shoved Cameron away from her. The discussion topic quickly turned to Glee Club, including both the New Directions and Lindsay and Cameron's: the Unitards, a rather exciting topic, surprisingly. Catching only bits and pieces of the excited conversation, Sam learned of Lindsay's apparent singing talent, _not unlike a certain Rachel Berry_, he thought to himself.

To be a carefree Sophomore again...getting excited over such little things, and being so happy, Sam also noticed, spying the wide grins and animated head nodding going around the table. He smiled to himself, relaxing until Lindsay started talking about something completely different, something that, even though it probably shouldn't have, caught his attention and refused to let go.

"So, Rory," Harmony said with a sly grin, "you hardly ever talk about Ireland with us. What's it like?"

"I think what she's trying to say is, do you have a girlfriend back home?" Cameron earned himself an elbow in the gut for that one, but Lindsay's question had had an extremely obvious second part.

Sam mused to himself, it would be easy for that second, unspoken part fly right over Rory's head, some of our "Americanisms" didn't make any sense to him. That was just one part of Rory that Sam found completely adorable, he was constantly fascinated by his first guy crush. Ever since Sam found out that he was bi (working as a stripper, other hot guys...), this unexplored territory bewildered him. Normally, he would have simply gone up to Rory and start flirting, but he didn't even know which team he played for.

Rory started to respond, and Sam found himself leaning forward in his chair, anticipating his response, straining to hear Rory's voice over the dull roar that filled the cafeteria.

Just as abruptly, he had to sit back, because Artie was giving him a funny look. Sam pretended that he was simply zoned out, shrugging his shoulders, just barely catching the end of the conversation.

"Haha, but actually, I do." Those words made Sam's heart drop down to the floor. "Her name is Jenna, and I think she's the love of my life," a distant look appeared in Rory's eyes as he reclined slightly in the cheap plastic chair he sat in, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. "However, she's back in Ireland and I'm here, for at least this year, maybe even the next."

"Dude, you're fifteen," Lindsay exclaimed. "She can't expect you to be able to keep up a long distance relationship for that long!

"She's just saying that so you'll break up with Jenna and maybe she'll have a chance-ow!" Cameron earned himself another sharp elbow to the ribs by an extremely red-faced Lindsay.

If Cameron didn't have two bruises on the left side of his body the next day, Sam would be very surprised. That little girl appeared to pack quite the punch, he thought as he chuckled softly to himself. Cameron was like an American girl translator for Rory, and Sam was glad that he was doing his job well, especially because Sam wanted to tell and ask Rory all of the things Lindsay was. Besides, it was also very amusing.

Of course, hearing Rory's response kind of made Sam want to leave the Cafeteria, and he was about to, until he heard Rory responding to Cameron.

"...I know it will be hard, Jenna actually told me that if I find someone here, to give it a shot, live a little. I don't know, I might've found someone, but I don't think that they'd be into me."

Sam pretended to be _very_ interested in his soup, unfortunately missing Rory giving him a quick sideways glance. He also decided at the wrong moment to pick up his tray and leave, because he missed the rest of the conversation.

Sugar motioned for Rory and the others to lean in a little closer before hissing, "_Sam Evans_? Really, Rory? That's who you found to crush on here?"

"Jenna doesn't have to worry. I would never have the guts to even talk to him, and besides, he seems completely straight."

"I thought you were, too!" four voices exclaimed, somewhat indignantly, especially after just hearing about the _girlfriend_.

"Bi," Rory stated simply.


	2. Chapter 2

Sam ran his fingers through his hair, wishing he could go back in time and unhear the lunchtime conversation.

It would have been better to hope and deny his heart, but fate was definitely against him.

Sam felt like his heart was broken. This hurt worse than when Quinn had cheated on him last year and lied on top of it. He felt so stupid. Rory didn't even know that he was the reason for Sam's heartbreak, hell, Rory didn't even know he had hurt Sam.

The more he thought about it, the more absurd his own actions seemed. _Of course_ Rory had a girlfriend. _Of course_ he was straight. How has he managed to make that all up in his head? Why did Sam even bother with love anymore? He always ended up hurt, and this time it was worse, an unrequited relationship Sam had created inside of his head.

_Damn, why did he have to be so stupid?_

* * *

"Jenna ," Rory sighed into his phone, initiating the conversation he had dreaded making but realized necessary that afternoon.

"Rory? What's wrong?" there was worry in her voice, apprehension, and perhaps a bit of sadness.

Did she already know why he was calling? Sure, a phone conversation was rare because of the five hour difference between their time zones, but the tone of her voice confused him a little.

Rory felt his heart sink when he realized that she knew exactly why he was calling. He didn't want to break her heart, he loved her so much. But she was in Ireland, and he was here in America with Sam. Even though Sam didn't feel the same way about Rory as Rory did about Sam, it felt so wrong to be with Jenna when he had feelings for someone else.

"Jenna," he began again, "I love you, you know that right?"

"Yes," she replied, her voice thick and another world away through.

"I love you, so much," Rory said as he felt his own throat begin to close up, "and I can't hurt you. I hate to see you cry because I love you so much and when you're hurt I feel like I've died a little bit inside."

"I love you, too," Jenna's voice was barely above a whisper, Rory could picture her now, probably sitting on her bed, leaning back against her headboard, with a sad smile and faint tear streaks on her face as she told Rory how she felt about him.

_I love you so much, but I'm hurting you right now, and it has to stop._

"This is so hard, Jenna," he sighed, regret filling his chest like a tidal wave.

"I love you, so much..."

"Rory," she said, her voice soft and sad, "I love you too, and I know everything we've been through. Rory, I can hear it in your voice, I know why you're calling."

There was a pause, and Rory found that he couldn't speak.

"It's been hard for you, these past few months," Jenna's voice was barely above a whisper now, "I know you, and I know that you need to take a break."

He drew a sharp breath, it hurt him so much that Jenna was hurting, he almost couldn't stand it.

"I-I know," a faint sob echoed across the ocean that separated them, "I know you, Rory. I know that whatever your reason is, it's serious and this is the best way.

"I'll be here, waiting, because I love you, Rory Flanagan, and I know this is right, even if it's not working right now."

Rory cleared his throat, not quite trusting his voice yet, "I'm so sorry, for hurting you like this, I love you so much..."

"And I love you, so much, I just want you to be happy, and I know that you're not right now."

"There's a boy," Rory started, knowing he owed Jenna an explanation, "and I think I love him, too, and this is all so hard, and I don't want you to get hurt because I love you..."

"Then go," Jenna's voice was surprisingly understanding, "they say if you love something, let it free, and if it was meant to be, it will come back."

* * *

Rory walked into Glee, his head hanging and looking a little bit lost. He sat down in a chair near the back of the choir room, seemingly separated from the rest of the class. Sam caught his eye, alarmed to find his normally bright blue eyes resembling a cloudy sky with traces of tears evident on his cheeks.

Sam walked over to him, concern written all over his face as he gently clapped a hand on his shoulder and slumped down into the chair next to him, "hey man, you alright?"

He couldn't help but wish he could hold Rory close to his chest, kiss him softly and tell him that it would be alright, because seeing him hurt was breaking his heart.

Rory looked up, nodded silently, and smiled softly at Sam. "Yeah, I'll be fine, I just talked to someone from back home, and it didn't go quite how I planned it."

Sam couldn't help himself. Rory was always on his mind. He had fallen for one of his best friends, and keeping it a secret was killing him inside.

"Rory," Sam took a deep breath, as though more oxygen might calm his nerves, "I've been meaning to tell you something...

"I like you. A lot. I can't stop thinking about you, and it hurts so much..."

Pulse racing and palms sweating, he pulled away from Rory, feeling alleviated and scared out of his mind at the same time. If Rory rejected him, Sam felt that he just might die of a broken heart.

_Stupid feelings, stupid hormones, stupid one-sided love. Stupid, stupid, stupid..._

Shock, disbelief, and something else was written all over Rory's face.

Sam found himself on his feet, running out of the choir room. He felt blind, he had no idea where he was planning on going.

The cool November air nipped at Sam through his letterman jacket. On the bleachers outside by the football field.

_What did I just do? Ruined my life, that's what. Rory's never going to look at me again, I'm supposed to be straight, and his best friend, and_ fuck, _I've just screwed up everything I didn't have with him._

Sam shivered in the cold, the wind having picked up, blowing across the field, lonely, sad, like his life...

His head hurt. His heart hurt. All that thinking, over thinking, reading between nonexistent lines. Unrequited love was the saddest thing in the world.

Sam grimaced at his own stupidity.

_Why did you even bother? Obviously you're no good. Quinn cheated on you. Santana started screwing Karofsky first, then turned lesbian._

Sam could feel someone standing behind him. He turned, caught sight of the last person he wanted to see, and turned right back around again.

_Like the look on his face hadn't been enough._

"Sam..."

"Save me the speech," he heard himself reply, surprised at the gruffness.

"Okay," Rory walked around to face Sam, looking straight into his eyes.

Sam knew he wasn't done talking, so he closed his eyes, hoping that blocking out the sight of Rory rejecting him would soften the blow.

To say he was surprised when he felt Rory's hands cup his cheeks and press his lips to his own would be an understatement. Rory's lips were firm underneath his, gentle, natural-tasting. They felt amazing, locked in a soft kiss with his.

Sam felt a slight fluttering in his chest, something he hadn't felt since before Sectionals with Quinn, but this felt so much better. He realized that Rory was pulling away from him, eyeing him carefully, gauging his reaction.

"I like you, too," he said, cautiously. Sam was suddenly aware of Rory's hands gently touching his cheeks and couldn't help the grin that spread over his face as he leaned forward to return the kiss.

_If love was meant to happen, it will always find a way._


End file.
